Making a False Statement to the Government

On Friday, Feb. 3, a Florida man plead guilty to making false statements to the government. According to local news sources, John Haskew of Lakeland told authorities that “Jesus Christ created wealth for everyone,” which is why he felt compelled to make $7 billion in illegal transfers. Haskew reportedly needed to pay off a debt to the federal government, and so provided them with a bank routing number that was not his. He also made over 70 transactions that totaled $7 billion with that same routing number. The offense carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. According to prosecutors, subsequent charges were dropped in accordance with the plea bargain.

The Crime of Making False Statements to the Government

According to 4.18.1001 Making a False Statement to a Federal Agency, 18 U.S.C., it is illegal to make a false statement in regards to a federal matter. In order for a person to be found guilty of making a false statement, the prosecution must be able to prove each of the following beyond a reasonable doubt:

That the defendant knowingly made a material false statement;

That the defendant made the statement voluntarily and intentionally; and

That the defendant made the statement in a U.S. customs declaration.

Additionally, in order to be charged with making a false statement, a defendant must have shown a reckless disregard for the truth with a conscious purpose to avoid learning the truth. The offender must have made the statement with the intention to influence the decision of the decision maker. While Haskew was guilty of falsifying his banking information for the purpose of avoiding paying off his debt to the government, a person can be guilty of making a false statement simply by being dishonest with a government official. The crime of making a false statement can apply even when the following factors do not:

You are not in a courtroom;

You are not under oath;

The conversation has not been recorded or manually transcribed;

The false statement is not made directly to the government official; and

You are not trying to cheat the government out of money.

Defense to Making a False Statement

If you have been charged with making a false statement to the government, an experienced white collar crimes lawyer can help you strategize a sound legal defense. The first thing the criminal lawyers at The Baez Law Firm will do is determine whether or not the prosecutors can prove that you made a false statement with the intention of defrauding the government. We will also examine the seriousness of the supposed false statement in order to determine whether you face misdemeanor or felony charges. Finally, if you are a first time offender, we may be able to use that reduce the charges or to have them dropped.

The crime of making a false statement to the government is a very serious one, and one that can result in prison time and hefty fines. Because of this, it is imperative to your future that you reach out to an Orlando white collar crimes lawyer as soon as you learn of the charges. To schedule a free consultation with our criminal defense team today, call 800-588-BAEZ now.

Miami Office

Orlando Office

Email Us

Fields Marked * Are required

DISCLAIMER: Completing and submitting this form or otherwise merely contacting The Baez Law Firm or any individual at the firm will not establish an attorney/client relationship. Our firm cannot represent you until we determine that there would be no conflict of interest and that we are otherwise able to accept representation of your case. Please do not send any information or documents until a formal attorney/client relationship has been established through an interview with an attorney and you have been given authorization in the form of an engagement letter with The Baez Law Firm. Any information or documents sent via this form or otherwise prior to your receipt of an engagement letter will not be treated as confidences, secrets, or protected information of any nature. Submitting information regarding your potential case will not bar The Baez Law Firm from representing or continuing to represent a person or entity whose interest are adverse to your in condition with your case.

DISCLAIMER: This website contains information about The Baez Law Firm that includes testimonial statements from persons who are familiar with the firm's services. The testimonials shown are not necessarily representative of every person's experience with us. Testimonials from every client are not provided. As no two situations or persons are identical, the facts and circumstances of your situation may differ from those for which testimonials are shown. This website also includes information about some of the past results that we have obtained for our clients. Not all results are provided, and the results shown are not necessarily representative of all results obtained by us. No two situation are exactly alike; every person's situation is unique and the outcome for each person depends on the individual facts.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.